Microsoft to buy Fast Web Search?

[Steven]

Hello to all of you here.

It has been said that Microsoft probably consider bying Fast Web Search.
How much substance is it in such a "rumour"?

[edited by: Steven at 2:18 pm (utc) on Jan. 23, 2003]

[rogerd]

Hmmm, to match/offset Yahoo's Inktomi purchase, perhaps? Microsoft certainly has the money, but my guess is that they could beat down external providers to a lower cost than they could manage themselves. I guess it's the classic outsourcing tradeoff - what is 100% control worth, and can you do as good a job yourself vs. a focused specialist?

[rogerd]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld, by the way, Steven! :)

[Steven]

Thank You, rogerd (or should I say just Roger).
So, I gather that You see it more likely that Microsoft instead would make an outsourcing deal with Fast.

[Rumbas]

Who knows? This industry works in mysterious ways ;)

Welcome to WebmasterWorld Steven!

[vitaplease]

Steven,

welcome to raising the heartbeats here at the forum..(with such a thread title)

I guess it could do no harm to buy some FAST shares.

Even if no-one buys them, these rumours will always surface and feed the stock price.

[Steven]

Thanks for the warm welcome.
This forum is great.